


guardian

by meanpancake



Series: after the war [3]
Category: Spartacus Series (TV)
Genre: F/F, post-rebellion au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-25
Updated: 2014-05-25
Packaged: 2018-01-26 11:53:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 454
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1687352
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meanpancake/pseuds/meanpancake
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kore is not a warrior, but she is a fighter.</p>
            </blockquote>





	guardian

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the tumblr prompt _Send me a “Guardian” and I’ll write a drabble about one character swearing to always keep the other safe_ , dedicated to Steph, and set in the same verse as my other Naevia/Kore ficlets.

A sudden noise has Kore flying to her feet. She doesn’t think when she grabs the slim dagger that is placed beneath the bed, rushing through Saxa’s knife combat lessons in her mind. It’s dark, but there are traces of light seeping through the tent’s cloth. Bracing herself, Kore steps outside, her heart pounding in her ears and alertness washing through her body, but she feels her mouth setting into a determined line.

The night is warm and smells of fire wood, smoke and horse hair.

"Apologies." The small voice cuts right through her. Clutching the dagger, she turns to her left. There is a boy - dark-haired, bright-eyed, unwashed like the rest of them - kneeling beneath an incomplete set of armour. "I didn’t mean to disturb your sleep. I was meant to bring these pieces back to Nasir but they slipped from my grasp."

"No harm done," Kore hears herself say. The tension bleeds out of her and she lowers the dagger. Her fingertips tingle as she picks up a strip of leather that has metal rings attached to it. Two people approaching them catch her attention; it must be those who are on watch duty this night. She smiles at the boy, gently, and hands him the piece. "Let them give you a hand with this, unless you want to rouse the entire camp."

"Gratitute," he says and she smiles, before returning to the tent. Inside she finds that Naevia sits up-right, the sword beneath her untouched. She looks… off.

"Love?"

"It is nothing." Naevia’s voice is calm and she covers her swollen belly with her left, touching the blade with her right. The expression on her face is unreadable, but her eyes are on fire. "I did not feel like I have to pick up this sword to be safe." She smiles, faintly, and turns to face her. "I trust you with my life. And hers."

"As I trust you." Kore sits down by her side and when Naevia reaches out to her, a blaze of hot desperate love shoots through her chest and leaves her breathless with affection. "I will not let anyone harm you," she whispers into Naevia’s hair. "I promise that I will always keep you safe."

"I know, my love, I know. I will do the same for you." Naevia kisses her temple and gently takes the dagger from her hands. She hadn’t realized she had still been holding on to it. Soft lips trace her neck and peace settles in her mind.

Falling into Naevia’s embrace, Kore knows that it does not matter that she is not a soldier, not a warrior. She is a _fighter_. And she will fight to protect her family. Now and always.


End file.
